For the Irish genealogist, the 18th century is a particularly
difficult period in which to research. In the 19th century, the
researcher may avail himself of the Tithe Applotment Books, Griffiths
Valuation, church records and, for the latter part of the century,
civil vital statistics records. However, in the 18th century,
the researcher often has few records to work with and these records,
such as real estate transactions and will indices, record only
a small proportion of the population.

Thus, the MacDermots Roe are especially fortunate to have
available the Elphin Census of 1749. This Census covering about
20,000 individuals living in the Diocese of Elphin, (much of
County Roscommon and some adjoining areas) is unique among 18th
century Irish records. It provides a rare and valuable glimpse
at real population figures in Ireland in mid-18th century Connaught.

The Census of Elphin was undertaken at the instance of Elphin
Bishop Edward Synge. Bishop Synge of the Protestant Church of
Ireland was particularly interested in learning the percentages
of Protestant and Catholics in the diocese. Nonetheless, his
census takers went well beyond a mere religious census. Every
family in Elphin Diocese is shown in the Census with the name
of the head of the household, as well as, the family's location
by parish and townland. The Census, also, contains valuable information,
such as the resident's occupation, the number of his children
by age category and his religion.

The Elphin Census covers the following areas:

County Roscommon

- 51 of the 59 parishes are included (not included are Castlemore,
Creagh, Drum, Kilcolman, Kilronan, Kiltullagh, Moore and Taghmaconnell),
County Galway

While the Census includes most of Roscommon, it omits certain
parishes where we know that from other sources that MacDermots
Roe resided. Conspicuous among these omitted parishes is Kilronan
which may have had the highest number of MacDermots Roe in 1749.

As noted in other contexts, the appellation Roe is recorded inconsistently.
Therefore, the number of households listed with the Roe in the
Elphin Census should not be taken as the final word as to the
total number of families who regarded themselves as MacDermots
Roe in 1749. An example of a MacDermotRoe who is omitted from
the count of MacDermots Roe is Thomas MacDermot Roe of Casthlemeehan,
Kilbride Parish, County Roscommon. Although Thomas appears as
a McDermott, we know from real estate records that he was, in
fact, a MacDermot Roe.

The Elphin shows a total of 16 MacDermots Roe out of a total
of 295 McDermotts (including all variants of the name) amounting
to only 5 %. Even allowing for the failure to properly record
the appellation and for the omission of Kilronan, there was a
sharp decline in McDermotts identifying themselves as MacDermots
Roe as compared to the early 1600's. Lease records from the early
1600's show that as many as 50% of McDermotts identified themselves
as MacDermots Roe at that time.

The Elphin Census showed that the use of the surname variation
Dermott was surprisingly common in County Roscommon in the mid-18th
century.. Of the 295 McDermotts in the Census, 76 or 26% were
listed as Dermotts. This shows that the change from MaacDermott
to Dermot was not just a practice associated with McDermotts
that move to the city as, for example, the Dermotts of Usher
Quay, Dublin. Like their urban cousins, the Roscommon Dermotts
evidently reverted to McDermott in the 19th century.

The Elphin Census is now available on line by subscription from
Irish Origins at originsnetwork.com. The data was edited by Marie-Lousie
Begg, with a excellent statistical analysis by Brian Gurrin.